Zoos collaborate to advocate and share love for lions

Auckland Zoo has welcomed male
lions Malik and Zulu from Wellington Zoo to its Africa
precinct today, a home-coming of sorts following their
births at the Zoo 14 years ago.In June,
Auckland Zoo made the tough but kindest call to euthanase
its remaining lions, elderly females Kura and Amira, the
respective mothers of Malik and Zulu. Now Wellington Zoo,
also home to female lions, is enabling the half-brothers to
stay at Auckland Zoo for a period while it is without a
pride.

Malik

Wellington Zoo
and Auckland Zoo work closely together on a range of
projects and are both part of an international zoos’
breeding and advocacy programme for lions - a now
‘Vulnerable’ species whose numbers have reduced
dramatically over the past decade.

“We’re very excited
to be working with our Wellington colleagues to once again
make it possible for locals and visitors to Auckland to
connect with, learn about and support these magnificent big
cats. It’s so important to advocate for them, as many
people don’t realise they’re doing it tough in the wild
as people increasingly encroach into their environment,”
says Auckland Zoo Carnivore team leader, Lauren
Booth.

“What’s very special for us keepers and our
long-time visitors, is that we’re welcoming these two
particular lions. Being the sons of Kura and Amira, it’s
going to be lovely to have that connection with them.
We’re really looking forward to seeing if there are any
similarities between the boys and their mothers, and with
the help of Wellington Carnivore Keeper Anders Muller
getting to know them and settling them in to their new
‘old’ surroundings where they spent the first eight
months of their lives,” says Lauren.

“Malik and Zulu
are very charismatic lions and will be missed at Wellington
Zoo, but we are thrilled that the Auckland community will be
able to connect with the males and learn more about this
incredible species,” says Jo Richardson, Animal Care
Manager at Wellington Zoo.

“Malik and Zulu share a
wonderful brotherly bond that you can clearly see when
they’re together. It’s great that they travelled to
Auckland Zoo together, accompanied by one of their keepers,
Anders, who was with them every step of the journey to
Auckland. While the males are spending a period of time at
Auckland Zoo, our females, Djane, Zahra and Djembe will
remain at Wellington Zoo to continue to be advocates for
their species and help us share their conservation story in
the wild.”

Malik and Zulu’s journey to Auckland Zoo
included a drive from Wellington Zoo to Palmerston North’s
airport, then flown to Auckland on a New Zealand Post cargo
plane and driven to the Zoo.

Sometime within the next two
years, as part of the zoos’ international breeding
programme for these ‘Vulnerable’ (IUCN Red List of
Threatened Species) big cats, Auckland Zoo will welcome
young female lions (and later young males) to once again
breed lions.

In the meantime, Auckland Zoo visitors can
look forward to seeing Malik and Zulu in the Africa
precinct’s lion exhibit where from some great vantage
points, these big cats can view visitors and other African
wildlife including, rhino, nyala, zebra, giraffe, ostrich,
guinea fowl and flamingo.

If you are planning to visit the
Zoo soon, please be aware that Malik and Zulu are at the
moment still just resting after their big journey north and
settling in to their new home, so may not be visible. Be
sure to check the Zoo’s social media channels for updates.

African Lion Fast Facts• The
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species classifies African lions
as ‘Vulnerable’. Over the past 21 years, the African
lion population has decreased by 43% and continues to
decrease. Once widespread across the African continent, it
is now extinct in North Africa.• Key threats to lions
are human population growth and agricultural expansion –
causing loss of habitat for lions, and increasingly,
human-animal conflict. Illegal hunting, poaching and
poisoning by livestock farmers are also impacting• On
average, lions sleep approximately 20 hours per
day• The male lion is unique among the cat species for
its thick mane of hair that circles its neck and
head• A male lion’s roar can be heard up to 8km
away• Male lions Zulu (the offspring of Amira) and
Malik (the offspring of Kura) were born at Auckland Zoo in
March and April 2004 respectively. Sharing the same father,
Lazarus, they are half-brothers. Zulu and Malik relocated to
Wellington Zoo in December 2004.

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